Twelve Bodies Found in Guanajuato Amid Escalating Cartel Violence
Twelve bodies showing signs of torture were discovered Thursday in Salamanca, a city in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, according to local authorities, CBS News reports.
The victims—three women and nine men—were left with messages linked to cartel activity, pointing to ongoing disputes between organized crime groups.
Guanajuato, a key industrial hub and popular tourist destination, has recently become Mexico’s most violent state, according to official homicide data. The bodies were found in five separate locations around Salamanca, including roads, bridges, and avenues. All the victims had gunshot wounds, and one had been dismembered, according to the state prosecutor’s office, which is investigating the incident.
The messages left by the perpetrators, a tactic often used by drug cartels, serve as warnings to rivals or as punishment for perceived infractions. The killings follow another violent episode in Salamanca, where gunmen attacked a residential center for people with addiction problems, killing four.
“This month of October has started with very high crime rates here. That makes 16 people murdered so far,” said Salamanca Mayor Cesar Prieto.
Despite the violence, he characterized the situation as “temporary,” stating that such flare-ups occur when one criminal group attacks another.
Two rival cartels, the Santa Rosa de Lima and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, are currently at war in Guanajuato. The conflict has claimed many lives, including police officers, politicians, and civilians. Notable incidents this year include the murder of a mayoral candidate in April and the killing of six members of the same family, including a baby and toddler, in June. In December, 11 people were killed in an attack on a pre-Christmas party, followed by the discovery of five university students’ bodies in a vehicle just days later.
Due to the rising violence, the US State Department has advised Americans to reconsider traveling to Guanajuato, highlighting cartel-related murders, particularly in the southern part of the state.
Since 2006, when Mexico began its military-led anti-drug operations, the country has recorded over 450,000 murders linked to organized crime. Newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to present her national security plan next Tuesday, as Mexico continues grappling with the escalating violence.
